Windows 10: Laptop reset / account recovery

Despite all attempts at recovery, it is impossible for me to recover my Microsoft account log in. A series of changes of home address, phone number, bank account changes and an ancient email address to which is no longer accessible mean that the account recovery cannot help. I do have a newer MS account but my laptop administrator rights are registered to the old email address. SO ..... this is my question: I could take all the data, files etc. off my laptop and back up to an external drive, then do some sort of comprehensive factory reset. But when I try to reinstall myself on the lapto

:)

 

Recovery and account

Hi Sarang,

We appreciate you for being a part of Windows 10.

I understand that you have upgraded to Windows again after performing reset.

Have you tried to restart the system again to check whether the Windows 10 is downgraded to previous version?

I suggest you to follow the below steps and check if it helps.

Step 1:

As the Windows 10 creates the new user account automatically, I suggest you to run the Microsoft account troubleshooter and check if it helps.

Refer to the following link to download and run the
Microsoft Account troubleshooter:

Microsoft Account Troubleshooter

http://download.microsoft.com/downl...B-A23B-5C3A6B5974E3/microsoftaccounts.diagcab

Step 2:

As you have linked your Microsoft account in Windows 10, I suggest you to switch back to the local account if you wish.

How to switch to a local account from Microsoft account.

• 
  Press “Windows + I” keys to open settings (When you get the error “Critical error-start menu and Cortana not working”).
  
• 
  Select Accounts.
  
• 
  On the right side, it will show your current account with an option "Switch to a local account”.
  
• 
  Select “switch to a local account” and follow the steps to switch your Microsoft account into a local account. Once this is done your Microsoft account is safe and not linked with that computer anymore.
  

Note:

• 
  You may not delete the recovery drive, as it will help you to recover the Windows in future if the Windows is not working properly.
  
• 
  If you are using Microsoft account to login to Windows 10, there is no option to disable the password and sign in to Windows 10 directly without entering password. If you are using Local account to login to Windows 10, you can
  disable the password and sign in to Windows 10 directly without entering password.
  

Reference: Please refer to the below article and check if it helps.

Recovery options in Windows 10

Recovery options in Windows - Microsoft Support

I hope the above information helps. Kindly let us know if you need any further assistance with Windows. We are glad to assist you.

Thank you.

 

Remove account

I suggest you backup your personalized files first before removing the account.
To delete an account, follow these steps:

1. Press WIN + X keys and click Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.
2. Type the following command and press Enter. Replace test with the name of your sister's account. Code:

 

Bitlock recovery to reset password

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear that you're having trouble accessing your PC due to a forgotten password. In this situation, you can try using the BitLocker recovery key to reset your password. Here are the steps:

1. On the sign-in screen, click on "I forgot my password" or "Reset password."
   
2. On the next screen, enter your Microsoft account email address or phone number associated with your account.
   
3. You will be prompted to enter the recovery key. Copy and paste the BitLocker Recovery Key from your Microsoft account page where your device is listed under "Devices."
   
4. Once you have entered the recovery key, follow the on-screen instructions to reset your password.
   

If you don't have access to the BitLocker recovery key or if it doesn't work, you can try using the Windows installation media to reset your password. Here are the steps:

1. Create a Windows installation media (such as a bootable USB drive or DVD) on another working PC using the Media Creation Tool provided by Microsoft.
   
2. Insert the installation media into your locked PC and restart it.
   
3. Press the necessary key to access the boot menu or BIOS setup, and select the installation media as the boot device.
   
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows.
   
5. When you reach the screen where you're prompted to select the partition to install Windows, click on "Repair your computer" instead.
   
6. Select "Troubleshoot" and then "Reset this PC" or "Advanced options" and then "Command Prompt."
   
7. In the Command Prompt, type the following command to reset the password for the local user account: net user [username] [newpassword], where [username] is the name of the locked account and [newpassword] is the new password you want to use.
   
8. Restart your PC and sign in with the new password.
   

I hope this helps you regain access to your PC. Let me know if you have any further questions.

Regards

Shuaib